More fun together! What types of group activities are there in gyms
The larger the fitness club, the more diverse the choice of directions for group programs in it. Often in different clubs, especially online, the same lessons are called differently, although this does not change the essence of the lessons. And sometimes it is difficult for a beginner to understand this variety. To decide where to go, you must first understand what classes of lessons are in general.
To put it simply, group classes are divided into: aerobic, strength, mixed, dance and low-impact. Each direction has its own specifics, which must be taken into account if you want to achieve some specific results, and not just maintain the general tone of the body.
Aerobic lessons
These are dynamic activities accompanied by music. As a rule, this includes a number of basic movements that are combined into ligaments, but this largely depends on the specific class. More often women attend such lessons, but men do not bypass aerobics either. Such activities have several advantages at once:
- motivate better, because you train in a group and always with a coach;
- it is much more fun and more interesting than training on cardiovascular equipment;
- coordination of movements develops better;
- it is an effective way to fight obesity.
It is important to understand that if you are a beginner, then you need to start with the lessons for beginners. It was not for nothing that I immediately said that in different networks the same lessons can be called differently: there are a large number of aerobics options – from simple movements on the floor to step aerobics, as well as lessons with elements of percussion technique (for example, tai-bo ) or advanced activities, such as cycling (imitation of a bicycle race on special simulators).
Therefore, before signing up for a lesson (even if the name seems familiar to you), be sure to consult with the manager or fitness consultant of the club. Find out which set of exercises is included in the lesson and find out if it is right for you.
Strength lessons
Aimed at developing muscles, increasing their size, as well as training endurance and strength, the lessons are held both with special equipment (barbells, dumbbells, twine), and with the weight of your own body. You need to understand that in strength lessons, the technique for performing each exercise is very important, because additional burdening can cause serious injury if you move inaccurately. Therefore, if you are a beginner, then choose lessons for beginners.
It is also important to understand that strength classes do not completely replace training directly in the gym. In group lessons, as a rule, they work with small weights, but with frequent repetitions (20 or more in one approach), and this mode of work will not lead to a serious increase in muscle mass. Which, in fact, is good only for girls who do not need large muscle mass. But for men who would like to see more muscle on themselves, this lesson will not work.
Mixed workouts
These activities combine cardiovascular training, full body muscle training with additional equipment, and increased calorie expenditure. One of the most popular types of such lessons is “functional training”, when exercises are performed in which a large number of muscles are simultaneously involved in the work.
In other words, you work not only the main muscle that the exercise is aimed at, but also the so-called stabilizing muscles, which in total increases the effectiveness of the workout. These activities include: circuit training, interval training, and TRX loops, and for the most advanced, cross-fit, popular all over the world.
Dance classes
Classes that help not only to lose weight and develop coordination, but also allow a person to train with pleasure, and you can also learn something new from them. By the way, it is not uncommon for visitors to a fitness club to become good dancers! But here, too, you need to understand that the lessons are different – for people with different backgrounds. As a rule, if a client wants to start exercising at a more serious level, he goes to special dance schools, because fitness clubs are still more focused on training to maintain health.
Low impact workouts
These are classes where there are no sharp, intense movements and shock load on the joints and spine. Such trainings are attended by completely different categories of people, especially since some of the areas are not only training, but also a certain philosophy. This can include, for example, yoga classes. Pilates is suitable for people who have problems with the spine, coordination, in addition, these exercises will also appeal to those who like calm movements and static load.
Also, low-impact lessons include stretching exercises – stretching. And articular gymnastics is ideal for older people, because it is with age that joint mobility is impaired.